The Atlanta Braves made plenty of moves at the trade deadline. They added the righty platoon bat they desperately needed with Lane Thomas, and they did make some moves to bolster their pitching depth. However, the only problem (and it is a big one) is that they were very minor additions, and one glaring need remains.
Alex Anthopoulos technically addressed every need, but the choice to only trade for one starter was interesting. Tyler Mahle is good, but he isn't the upgrade fans hoped for. Other teams made moves that Braves fans wished their favorite team had made instead.
Here are 4 trades we wish the Braves made at the MLB trade deadline
Tarik Skubal to Dodgers
This is the most obvious trade that fans would have loved to see happen. But Braves fans will have to be happy with Tyler Mahle. While it's easy to understand why Atlanta wouldn't trade for a two-month rental with such a high price, it would have made a huge difference. Instead, Skubal landed with the worst team possible, making them instant favorites to win their third-straight World Series.
Casey Mize to Padres
Mize felt like the perfect pivot for Atlanta after missing out on Skubal. He didn't cost nearly as much and could have been an easy candidate to return in free agency. The right-hander has had a lot of success in 2026, but his first outing with the Padres went very poorly. So, the Braves may have avoided a disaster yet.
Robbie Ray to Padres
Ray felt like the most obvious decision the Braves should have made. He has playoff experience and is pitching very well this season. The lefty has a 3.08 ERA, 57 walks, 107 strikeouts, over 122.2 innings. It would have only cost the Braves a couple of prospects to get it done, and it would have been an immediate boost for the rotation.
Jose Soriano to Blue Jays
Soriano would have been the right choice of trade, considering he has two years of control left. The righty has surprised everyone this year with a 3.29 ERA, 57 walks, and 127 strikeouts over 123 innings. That solves a need that Atlanta has beyond this season, and it would have made losing top prospects a little easier.
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